System and method for optical fiber diffusion
OwnerEdward L. Sinofskyinventor
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Abstract
An optical fiber diffusion system and a method of manufacturing an optical fiber diffusion device that has a precisely-controlled emission region are disclosed. An optical fiber diffusion device is produced by subjecting a light emission region of an optical fiber to a series of controlled cycles of stress, heating, elongation and cooling, resulting in a pattern of deformation and modification of the fiber and cladding.
Claims48
An optical fiber diffusion device comprising:
- an optical fiber including a proximal terminus arranged to be coupled to a radiant energy source, and
- a distal terminus region including at least one light emission region arranged to emit light from the optical fiber,
- the at least one light emission region including at least one crazed diffusion feature formed in the material of the optical fiber itself.
A method for the manufacture of an optical diffusion device, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) applying a stress to a portion of an optical fiber that includes a location of a light emission region to be formed in the optical fiber;
- (b) applying thermal radiation to a sub-region of the portion of the optical fiber that includes the location of the light emission region to be formed in the optical fiber, until a deformation of the sub-region occurs;
- and
- (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for at least one additional sub-region of the portion of the optical fiber to produce the light emission region in the optical fiber, the light emission region comprising a plurality of discrete light emission sub-region bands formed by the applying of the stress and the applying of the thermal radiation.
A method for the manufacture of an optical diffusion device from a continuous roll of optical fiber, the method comprising:
- rolling the optical fiber out of a source roll around which the optical fiber is rolled, such that a region of the optical fiber that is to be formed into at least one light emission region is positioned within a plurality of manufacturing devices to be used in manufacturing the optical diffusion device;
- and
- monitoring light emitted from the fiber during manufacturing using a sensor coupled to the optical fiber.
An optical fiber diffusion device comprising:
- an optical fiber including a proximal terminus arranged to be coupled to a radiant energy source, and a distal terminus region including at least one light emission region arranged to emit light from the optical fiber, the at least one light emission region including at least one crazed diffusion feature formed in the material of the optical fiber itself and
- a catheter coupled to the optical fiber, the catheter including a balloon illuminated by light from the optical fiber.
A method of treating the human body, the method comprising:
- introducing an optical fiber diffusion device into a vascular vessel of the human body, the optical fiber diffusion device comprising an optical fiber including a proximal terminus arranged to be coupled to a radiant energy source, and a distal terminus region including at least one light emission region arranged to emit light from the optical fiber, the at least one light emission region including at least one crazed diffusion feature formed in the material of the optical fiber itself;
- and
- illuminating the optical fiber diffusion device.
An optical fiber diffusion device comprising:
- a source optical fiber including (i) a proximal terminus of the source optical fiber arranged to be coupled to a radiant energy source, and (ii) a distal terminus of the source optical fiber;
- and
- an emission optical fiber including a proximal terminus of the emission optical fiber coupled to the distal terminus of the source optical fiber, the emission optical fiber comprising a distal terminus region including at least one light emission region arranged to emit light from the emission optical fiber, the at least one light emission region including at least one crazed diffusion feature formed in the material of the emission optical fiber itself.
A method of providing treatment light from an optical therapeutic system, the method comprising:
- diffusing light from an optical fiber diffusion device in or near a target treatment region of a patient, the optical fiber diffusion device comprising
- a source optical fiber including (i) a proximal terminus of the source optical fiber arranged to be coupled to a radiant energy source, and (ii) a distal terminus of the source optical fiber;
- and
- an emission optical fiber including a proximal terminus of the emission optical fiber coupled to the distal terminus of the source optical fiber, the emission optical fiber comprising a distal terminus region including at least one light emission region arranged to emit light from the emission optical fiber, the at least one light emission region including at least one crazed diffusion feature formed in the material of the emission optical fiber itself.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.